Official 60-day campaign period for September 16 General Elections scheduled from July 14

* Code of Conduct available to regulate the conduct of the campaign which will provide guidance on acceptable campaign behaviour

* That include: (i) Equal access to public media; (ii) peaceful and respectful campaign practices; (iii) prohibition of hate speech, incitement, and misinformation

* (iv) observance of campaign schedules and designated venues; and (v) respect for the rights of voters and other contestants

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced that the official campaign period for September 16, 2025 General Elections is scheduled to start from July 14 and will close on September 14 at 06h00.

At a press briefing yesterday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC), MEC chairperson, Justice Annabel Mtalimanja said in accordance with section 51 (1) and (2) of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act, 2023, the Commission is required, through a notice published in the Gazette, to announce the commencement of the official campaign period which a period of no longer than 60 days — closing 48 hours before the opening of the poll.

This period permits candidates and political parties to freely canvass for votes, in accordance provisions of the Political Parties Act and the rules and regulations set by the Commission in accordance with the existing electoral laws.

Mtalimanja added that in line with the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act, 2023, MEC will prescribe a Code of Conduct to regulate the conduct of the campaign — providing guidance on acceptable campaign behaviour, that include:

(i) Equal access to public media; (ii) peaceful and respectful campaign practices; (iii) prohibition of hate speech, incitement, and misinformation; (iv) observance of campaign schedules and designated venues; and (v) respect for the rights of voters and other contestants.

“Significantly, the Act has prohibited and criminalised the use of public resources during the campaign,” emphasised Mtalimanja. “This includes any property owned by the Government, an organ of the Government, a statutory corporation or body or a state-owned enterprise.

“The aim is to level the playing field and uphold the principles of fairness and accountability in the electoral process. The Act grants MEC the power to impose penalties or disqualify individuals, parties, or institutions that do not abide by the prescribed campaign regulations.”

She stressed that MEC will work closely with relevant public institutions to ensure a smooth conduct of the campaign and effective inter-agency collaboration on addressing emerging challenges.

In preparation for results management, including counting of votes and determination of the results, Mtalimanja said MEC has made some progress, as follows:

1. National Tally Centre: to be established in Lilongwe because of its centrality, which will ease operational logistics. MEC is reviewing available facilities within the city to identify the most convenient venue in Lilongwe;

2. District and Constituency Tally Centres: to be supported by secure equipment and staff. MEC has already identified suitable places to host the constituency tally centres and the district tally centres. In addition to hosting the results management centres at that level, these points will be used as nerve centres from which all logistical operations will be coordinated.

3. Integrated Election Command Centre: MEC is setting up a Call Centre and a Strategic Communications Unit — which will be utilised for real-time updates, rapid issue resolution, and dissemination of results as and when determined by the Commission.

Contingency for second poll in Presidential election

Under section 80 (2) of the Constitution, the President is elected by a majority of more than 50% of the valid votes cast through direct, universal and equal suffrage. Where such majority is not obtained by any candidate in the first poll, a second poll must be held within 69 days after the declaration of the result in which the candidates who obtained the highest votes cast in the first poll shall be the only candidates.

“The amount for holding a second election is not in the budget allocated to the Commission this year, but the relevant offices involved are aware, and there is an assurance that the money will be provided when needed,” she assured.

Electoral funding procurement of election materials

She further stated that the electoral cycle is supported by a predictable and sustained funding mechanism from the Government, saying: “We should state and show appreciation that the Treasury and Accountant General Department have been very supportive to the Commission in providing funding.

“There is no activity, this far, that we can cite to have failed to implement because there was no funding. Twice has the Treasury came to our rescue to fund activities that were not foreseen, and this includes the placement of National Registration Bureau (NRB) staff in all registration centres during voter registration and the supplementary voter registration.”

She further highlighted that if no presidential candidate attains the 50+1% valid vote threshold to win the election, MEC will need K97.9 billion for the  second election within 60 days.

She also announced that all strategic procurements have been done in accordance with the law that regulates public procurements, and that MEC has in place measures to ensure that all materials are available in time for polling and other electoral processes — having procured both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for polling.

“There is also good progress in the delivery of these materials by suppliers. The Commission intends to award the contract for printing ballot papers and results forms to Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing of the United Arab Emirates.

“The general public, including electoral stakeholders, has been made aware of this intention through a notice published in the papers as required by law. We are also finalising the procurement of indelible ink and additional election management devices that will be used to facilitate biometric identification of voters on the polling day.

To further improve lighting during the vote counting process, Mtalimanja announced that MEC is planning to borrow solar lamps from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission

(ZEC), saying the resource sharing among electoral commissions is an international best practice that is encouraged among members of the Electoral Commissions’ Forum for SADC Countries, of which Malawi is an executive member.

Civic and voter education

MEC emphasises that it “recognises that a well-informed electorate is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy” and it has significantly scaled up its civic and voter education efforts through a multipronged strategy.

They include regular radio and television programmes aired on both public and community stations; frequent press briefings broadcast live; and the dissemination of voter information via SMS messaging — allowing MEC to reach a broader segment of the adult population.

Additionally, MEC has intensified outreach through social media platforms to engage youth, who are more active online and that it introduced a countdown campaign on social media from Day 300, of which today it’s at 139 days to go before election day.

“We have also engaged local civil society organisations, youth groups, and disability advocacy groups to deliver tailored voter education at the grassroots level. Moreover, the deployment of 229 constituency civic and voter education assistants — each based in their respective constituencies — has strengthened our presence and accessibility nationwide.

“As an inclusivity-focused election management body, the Commission’s civic and voter education strategy pays special attention to women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalised communities — ensuring that their voices are heard and their participation in all available capacities is encouraged.”

Challenges that were noted is that the majority of civil society organisations that MEC accredited are not doing their work, “apparently because they have not been able to secure funding”.

“This gap is constantly being referred to by both CSOs and political parties. While the MEC is stretching itself to cover the gap — and even though this may appear to be outside MEC’s mandate — may I take this opportunity to urge our development partners to consider supporting civic and voter education efforts by CSO that would meet your funding criteria.

Stakeholder engagement and interagency coordination

MEC assures that it has prioritised transparent and structured stakeholder engagement throughout the electoral process saying it has convened National Election Consultative Forum (NECOF) meetings to bring together all key stakeholders and provide updates on our activities.

In addition, MEC assures continued engagement with all 23 registered political parties through bilateral discussions facilitated by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD).

The engagements have also been extended to CSOs, faith-based groups, and traditional leaders while at the national level, MEC collaborates with umbrella bodies with the local level working through district networks and constituency structures to ensure widespread participation and input.

The pollster has also maintained strong interagency coordination with key state institutions, particularly in areas such as voter registration, election security, logistics, and dispute resolution.

“Our collaboration with the National Registration Bureau, the Malawi Police Service, the Malawi Defence Force and the office of the Registrar of Political Parties has been instrumental in ensuring operational efficiency and compliance with the law.

“These partnerships will be further strengthened in the lead-up to polling day. In this regard, the Commission has scheduled a high-level interagency coordination meeting on Friday, 2nd May 2025, in Lilongwe … to bring together 21 public institutions to jointly strategise on how best to contribute to the delivery of credible elections.

Election observation

In line with MEC’s commitment to transparency and adherence to international best practices, invitations have been extended to reputable regional, continental, and international observer missions to monitor the electoral process.

“We have already hosted pre-election assessment missions from the African Union and COMESA and have briefed the European Union on our preparedness. In June 2025, we will welcome the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries (ECF-SADC) for an official visit.

“Additionally, the Commission has developed comprehensive observer guidelines aligned with international norms to facilitate the accreditation and conduct of election observers. Accredited observers will have full access to polling stations, counting centres, and tally centres.

“We believe that the presence of these observers enhances public confidence, supports peer learning, and contributes to the integrity of our electoral process.

Upholding truthfulness and responsibility in utterances

Mtalimanja made a sincere appeal to uphold truthfulness and responsibility in utterances — particularly to political leaders and all individuals who command a public following, social media influencers.

She took cognizance that leaders, “by virtue of their platforms and the trust they enjoy from their supporters, play an incredibly influential role in shaping public opinion”.

“Your words carry weight, and they have the power to build or break public confidence in our democratic institutions. It is against this background that we kindly urge all leaders, regardless of affiliation or position, to exercise utmost caution and responsibility in their public statements relating to the electoral process.

“Let us refrain from making statements that may unfairly discredit the process without substantiated facts. Unverified claims and misleading information — no matter how well-intentioned — can easily sow confusion, create unnecessary tension, and erode the very trust we are all striving to cultivate among the Malawian electorate.”

Likewise, MEC also appealed for restraint in circulating unverified stories, particularly on social media and other public platforms, saying: “The spread of misinformation or premature conclusions about electoral processes only serves to mislead the public, fuel suspicion, and weaken the collective confidence that is vital for peaceful and credible elections.

“As a Commission, we remain fully committed to transparency and stakeholder engagement. Should there be any questions, concerns, or misunderstandings, our doors remain open — not only through forums such as this, but every day.

“We encourage all leaders to seek clarification directly from the Commission whenever in doubt, so that we can together ensure that accurate information is shared with the public.

“Let us all remember that the credibility of our electoral process is a shared responsibility — and so too is the integrity of the national conversation around it.”